Device for locating submerged objects



W.F. MERCER.

DEVICE FOR LOCA TING SUBMERGED OBJECTS. APPLiCATION FILED FEB. 10.1920.

. M11 13 79%, anwnroz mm? UNITED! STATES WALTER F. MERCER, or GRANDnArIns, MICHIGAN.

DEVICE FOR LOGATING SUBMERGED OBJECTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed February 10, 1920. Serial No. 357,645.

To all to item it may concern Be it known that l, VVAL'rnR 1*..Mnnonn, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, inthe county of Kent and State of lvlichigan, have invented. new anduseful Improvements in Devices for Locating Submerged Objects, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, relativelyinexpensive and efiicient means whereby the location of a submergedobject may be indicated, the arrangement of the indicator to perform itsfunction being dependent upon and incident to the submersion oi theobject, and the construction and proportions of the same being such thatit may conveniently be worn or carried inconspicuously by a person intaking a water trip or under conditions in which exposure to apossibility of drowning is involved, and

may as well be used in connection with nautical vehicles subject tofoundering, or to objects carried on boats or vessels and having a valuesuch as to render salvage thereof a matter of importance, and with theseobiects in view the invention consists in a construction and combinationof parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the drawing,wherein:

Figure 1 is a form of the device such as is adapted to be worn by aperson about to take a water trip and designed to be attachedconveniently to the body under such conditions as to be liberated shouldthe person fall or be thrown into the water.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the reel.

Fig. 3 is a side view enlarged of the same.

Fig. 4 is a section taken in a plane transverse to that of Fig. 2.

The device consists essentially of a hollow buoyant reel 10 whichmay bemade of light sheet metal or other material which is not subject todeterioration by exposure to moisture having the drum portion 11 andflanges 12, upon which is wound a suliicient length of cord 13-, such asthread, fish line or the like, to reach from a considerable depth to thesurface of the water, said cord being fastoned in place upon the reel bymeans of a sticker 14 provided with an adhesive material as for example,gum arabic, which is soluble in water, said sticker being provided withan eye or opening 15 through which a free end of the cord extends. Thewrapping oi. cord is then preferably protected by a band or belt 16serving to prevent displacement or entanglement thereof and also toprotect it from accumulations of dirt and the like, the extremities ofsaid band or belt being secured by suitable means such as a supplementalsticker 17 adhesively engaged with the band as by a material which isalso soluble in water, a further eye or opening 18 being formed in thesupplemental sticker to permit of the extension of the free end of thecord therethrough, and when the device is to be worn by a persondesiring the benefit oil the security afforded thereby, said cord may beformed with a terminal loop 19 adapted to be placed about the neck asshown in Fig. l with the loose adjacent portion of the cord carriedaround the body below the arms and engaged with the loop as shown at 20.Thus arranged the device may be worn under such conditions that in theevent that the wearer should be thrown into the water the reel will beexposed to contact with the same whereupon the loosening of the stickersby the dissolving of the adhesive material will permit the cord tounreel and allow the buoyant reel to ascend to the surface. The sidesurfaces of the reel are preferably provided with designating means suchas a cross 21 shown in Fig. 3 which may be colored red or otherwise toattract attention and guide the searcher to the point at which the bodyor object is submerged.

When the device is attached or annexed to a nautical vehicle for thepurpose indicated, it is unnecessary to fasten the cord on the reel witha sticker.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for the purpose indicated consisting of a; buoyant reelhaving a cord wound thereon provided with a soluble fastening agencysecuring the same, the free end of the cord being extended forattachment to an object to be indicated.

2. A device for the purpose described having a buoyant reel, a cordreeled thereon and provided at its free end with an attaching loop, anda sticker for securing the cord in wound relation withthe reel andhavingan eye or opening through which the free end of the cord extends,said sticker having a soluble adhesive by which it is held in place.

3. A device for the purpose described having a buoyant reel, a cordwoundupon the "reel, a cord holding means having a soluble adhesive securingthe same, a'band or belt arranged in protective relation with the cordand having a soluble adhesive securing the same, the free end of thecord being extended beyond the fastening means for attachment to anobject to be indicated.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

XVALTER F. MERCER.

